Problems related to protection of the environment include care of patients with infectious diseases or practice of cleaning processes that use harmful cleaning solutions or remove environmentally harmful substances from the area being cleansed. Patient bathing devices have been known. A few of these devices use a suction means for removing cleansing fluid and debris.
The use of portable scrubbing devices has been known. U.S. Pat. No. 3,574,239 to Sollerud discloses a portable bathing device for use in bathing patients in hospital and nursing home settings. The device is, however, limited in its application since it is housed in a rather large unit that must be wheeled to the bedside. Furthermore, the invention of Sollerud uses a sponge surrounded with a concentric passageway connected to a vacuum. The device requires a foaming cleaning solution under pressure to clean the wound, and would not be appropriate for removing bits of glass or other debris from wounds. Other scrubbing devices for use in cleaning of carpeting and hard surface floors have, of course, been known, but such devices are often unwieldy and are not adapted for meeting a wide range of cleaning applications. Most particularly, they are not adapted for use in cleaning skin or other surfaces requiring gentle, controlled cleaning.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,900,316 to Yamamoto discloses a suction device for use in cleaning and suctioning the skin. The device uses a suction cap. The device requires access to modern plumbing and is useful only for removing small amounts of undesirable matter from the skin.